Celebrate Fall Extravaganza: Thanksgiving Traditions

It is day 3 of Tiff's Fall Extravaganza Contest! Seriously folks, this is a fun contest. Did I mention DAILY winners?? Today's theme is: Thanksgiving Traditions

I think we have the normal traditions in our house. I LOVE to host Thanksgiving dinner! Strange huh? I cooked my first Thanksgiving meal when I was - 21 I think, and I was hooked. Seriously! The proud feeling of accomplishment is overwhelming! Preparing that huge meal, setting the perfect table, finding a Thanksgiving centrepiece for your table, baking pies the night before - I actually enjoy all that! I enjoy the sound of football on the tv and the occasional "shout out" I hear from my husband or any other men/boys in the room as they root for their team. I LOVE the smell of the turkey cooking all day. And lets get real - I LOVE TO EAT.

I did not cook last year and I don't plan to cook again this year. It is just too difficult with young twins! So, I seem to be taking a couple years off from hosting Thanksgiving. Quite honestly, I can not even remember Thanksgiving in 2006 when I was pregnant. What in the the world?? What did we do? I have no clue!

There are a few items that STAY on my menu every year for Thanksgiving. Turkey, corn casserole, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, stuffing and rolls. We usually add one extra something to that list - or someone brings a little extra something. If it is my mom, she will make or bring Sweet potato casserole with marshmallows. ZACH's favorite but it HAS to be made by Memay!

Here are 2 pictures I dug up from Thanksgiving:

This is from... 2005? Or maybe this is the missing 2006?? I am pretty sure my parents and sister are here for whatever year this was taken. I KNOW I have better pics with everyone sitting at the table - but this contest has me realizing that I am not organized with my pictures and I can't find them!

This is LAST YEAR! We went to my in-laws and we plan to go there again this year:) I am actually hosting Christmas dinner at our house so I had to take another break from hosting or cooking Thanksgiving dinner in my home. So when my dear sweet Mother in Law asked if we would like to come over, I said YES YES YES!

There ya have it. Our Thanksgiving traditions are simple:

1. Prepare food

2. watch football

3. eat and eat and eat

4. take a nap

5. eat some more

*NOTE: One of my personal traditions that I do look forward to every year is ~ during Thanksgiving weekend, I play my Christmas cds and put up the tree and deck the halls! Christmas is my FAVORITE time of year and I want to see the beauty as long as I can.
I also feel I must take DOWN all Christmas decorations on New Years Day.